Coal mine waste transformed by EcoSecurities

摘要

Coal extraction is one of the most significant global sources of methane, a greenhouse gas (GHG) 21 times more potent than CO_2, making up around 10 percent of all global methane emissions. Therefore substantial opportunities exist in the coal mining sector to reduce GHG emissions by combusting coal mine methane (CMM). This, in itself, represents a largely untapped energy source that can be used to displace fossil fuels. The Kyoto Protocol created flexible mechanisms known as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (Jl), which allow industrialised (Annex 1) countries to finance emission reduction projects in developing countries (CDM projects) or other Annex 1 countries (Jl), in exchange for carbon allowance 'credits' called Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) or Emission Reduction Units (ERUs). These credits can help project participants to meet their GHG reduction targets. For CMM project developers, these credits represent a means of acquiring additional revenue.